Chapter 311 – Hyeon Won (6)

It was after facing a peerless master widely known in the martial world.

The aftereffects were beyond imagination.

It was something he had to endure. After all, he had managed to kill someone who should have been far beyond his reach.

At the time, Jeong Yeon-shin had to withstand the shocking impact that penetrated to his bones each time he defended against Zhuge Clan Leader’s Yin and Yang Divine Whip.

Even a fragment of energy felt like a thousand pounds of force. He couldn’t deflect it with harmonious state. There simply wasn’t time.

The penetrating wound to his shoulder was the highlight.

A peerless master’s strike is extremely sophisticated. A single hit doesn’t end with just an external wound.

Weight-increasing technique. The energy waves that flowed into his entire meridian system through the strike tore his insides apart.

Without the Jeong Family Dynamic Technique, he would have struggled even to move. It was a vivid demonstration of the realm that Yue Shou-lin had reached to face Zhuge Clan Leader, who had brought the breaking method for the Yue Family Spear.

Even the recovery of muscle bundles was slow.

This was said to be the effect of the mystical skill called the Yin and Yang Divine Whip. Blood Guardian Squad Leader Jin had experienced it too.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s three meridians and blood pathways had lost their elasticity. The journey to Taiyuan felt somewhat arduous.

Meanwhile, the Luminous Wheel was rotating at a pace incomparably slower than when he was at full strength.

His energy accumulation had drastically decreased. Recovery would take time.

There was no other choice.

Facing Goon Yu-rin, who was presumed to be the daughter of the Profound Martial Alliance Leader, and her subordinate.

Woong.

The chopsticks that trembled slightly escaped from between his fingers. This happened right after he had inserted the spirituality of his upper dantian beneath his Baihui acupoint, aligning it with his brain.

It was a marvelous mystery. Jeong Yeon-shin felt a long texture in his mind.

‘Is this how it works…?’

The shapes of the wooden chopsticks and a blade flickered in his mind. The sword blade seemed about to overlay the chopsticks.

Yet they didn’t truly merge. Even though he had the intuition that power greater than Myriad Heavens Flower Rain would sprout at the moment of unification in his mind, this remained the case.

The reason was easy to guess. Fan Dragon Treading Lotus Technique heavily utilized the upper dantian.

When he first activated it to kill Zhuge Clan Leader, it had overexerted his Baihui acupoint. It hadn’t fully recovered yet.

That was fine.

Woong.

One of the chopsticks rose by itself. It floated up toward the fan pointed at his brow.

The man who had pointed the folding fan at Jeong Yeon-shin reacted half a breath too late.

As Goon Yu-rin widened her eyes, he maintained eye contact with Jeong Yeon-shin as if demanding an answer, then belatedly flinched.

“What kind of sorcery…!”

“That’s not it, you idiot! It’s nothing like that!”

The conversation between master and subordinate sounded like a comedy routine even in this urgent moment.

Jeong Yeon-shin’s eyes narrowed. He immediately sensed that the power in the chopsticks was woefully inadequate.

It couldn’t compare to the dispersion principles of Myriad Heavens Flower Rain at full strength. It was evidence of the aftermath of his battle against a peerless master.

Should he forcibly deploy the fist technique inspired by Valor Fist Lord Yan Hwa-ryeon? The young waiter boy would find it horrifying to witness.

It was then.

What did she infer from Jeong Yeon-shin’s expression?

“Wait a moment!”

Suddenly grimacing, Goon Yu-rin brought both hands behind her back, and a large grayish light fell from her hands. It was the afterimage of a large blade’s edge.

She had drawn and swung down her blade with incredible speed. The blade descended in a rough curve, flickering dimly like a faded crescent moon.

Swoosh!

“Aaaaargh!”

Blood spurted upward. The arm of her subordinate had been severed, still clutching the folding fan.

The severed forearm fell with a thud, and the white fan was stained red as blood flowed along the side of the arm. It was a scene that had unfolded with shocking suddenness.

Whoosh!

Goon Yu-rin, who had risen to her feet as she drew her blade, shook her large blade once with a bitter expression.

Droplets of blood scattered in all directions, soaking into the wooden floor. The reddish-black pattern looked somewhat gruesome.

The expression of the subordinate who had been groaning beside her was also striking.

After a moment of undisguised confusion, he seemed to realize something and instantly regained focus in his eyes, swallowing his groans.

It had all happened in less than three breaths. The silence in the inn deepened.

“If one lacks discernment in judging people,” Goon Yu-rin said, scratching the back of her head as she spoke.

“They should rightfully die… but since he didn’t draw his sword, I’ll spare his arm.”

“You couldn’t do it,” her subordinate retorted.

“Well, if that’s the case, I have nothing to say, but consider how miserable it is to lose your main martial art while serving a master who treated you well? It’s not like you lost your arm fighting an enemy. How shameful must that be? We’re from the evil path, you know. When it comes to matters of face, even the rotten Thirteen Evil Sects are worse than the orthodox sects.”

A somewhat craven stream of words poured out like rapid-fire from a skilled archer.

Tap, tap.

She repeatedly kicked her subordinate’s shin.

Did she want to save her subordinate’s life somehow? The way she kept glancing at Jeong Yeon-shin seemed more human than Zhuge Clan Leader had been.

The subordinate, who seemed to find each of Goon Yu-rin’s words devastating, winced repeatedly before quickly composing his expression and prostrating himself.

His shoulder blades, nearly touching the ground, trembled with convulsions. This was accompanied by the massive bleeding that was seeping between the wooden floorboards.

Yet his conduct remained extremely proper.

“This Jeon Baek has failed to recognize your eminence! I humbly beg that with your vessel of benevolence that knows no enemy, you might forgive this mortal sin!”

He looked utterly pitiful. His arrogant demeanor had completely vanished.

Jeong Yeon-shin remained silent for a moment.

‘Goon Yu-rin… is she truly the daughter of the Profound Martial Alliance Leader?’

They were bizarre characters. It felt like he was seeing the true face of the Thirteen Evil Sects.

If the bloodline was genuine, she would be a rare figure in the martial world, and her judgment was as swift and accurate as a blade. She displayed qualities worthy of a ruler who could navigate chaotic times.

He replied briefly:

“Get lost.”

“What a handsome and righteous friend you are. Your hand techniques are quite merciful.”

Goon Yu-rin snapped her fingers.

Twang—

A finger wind that greatly distorted the air flew and struck near the shoulder of the man called Jeon Baek.

With a dull sound, the flowing blood suddenly stopped. It was a technique for stopping bleeding.

After glancing at her staggering subordinate, Goon Yu-rin sat down again across from Jeong Yeon-shin.

She placed both elbows on the table and interlocked her fingers. The sound of her rough clothes brushing against the table broke the silence… “Our nameless friend has the vessel of a great hero. I saw how the waiter boy bowed and fled at your gesture. You treat people purely as people. With such humility ingrained in your body, it’s no wonder you remain calm even after entering the realm of mind-controlled sword. Far from arrogance, you’re simply considerate enough to care about your surroundings.”

‘Eye technique?’ Jeong Yeon-shin was inwardly surprised by her accurate assessment.

“I, the Crimson Phoenix Blade, have a keen eye. So I’d like to make a proposal… carefully, if I may.”

Whoosh.

The energy waves spreading from Goon Yu-rin’s body formed a hemispherical barrier as she spoke in a whisper-like tone. She had created an energy curtain around the table.

Soon after, as the chopsticks that had been floating in the air returned to Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand, she looked at the sight with eyes full of admiration and spoke again.

“Someone like you must have made a name for yourself. You’ve come from far away from your home territory, right?”

“Your insight is quite impressive.”

Jeong Yeon-shin responded indifferently. He had been secretly impressed since hearing her analysis of his character.

He was a black-rank of Desolate Fortress. He couldn’t simply pass by the direct descendant of the Profound Martial Alliance Leader.

He had to do one of two things.

Either ignore the internal and external injuries that were still making his body ache and capture Goon Yu-rin to extract information, or continue to conceal his identity while uncovering the orthodox martial arts of the Profound Martial Alliance.

“My eyes never deceive me.”

Goon Yu-rin grinned at his compliment, slightly raising her chin.

She didn’t look like someone who had just severed her subordinate’s arm. Her conduct suggested her background.

The ‘Crimson Phoenix Blade,’ as she called herself, was indeed from the direct lineage of the Thirteen Evil Sects.

“A powerful figure with no connections in Taiyuan. Someone like you is exactly what I need. Don’t worry, I won’t propose anything that would make those orthodox sect prudes blush. After all, you’re a person of great dignity.”

“I like your manner of speech. Go ahead and speak.”

Jeong Yeon-shin responded calmly.

He had become disillusioned with orthodox sects because of the martial families.

If he hadn’t seen the orthodox path’s practitioners like the Nine Great Sects’ Taoist cultivators, Martial Alliance Leader Hyeon So-baek, Azure Qilin, and Fan Dragon, he would have dismissed the very concept of orthodox martial lineages.

“Look at you, being shy.”

The smile on Crimson Phoenix Blade Goon Yu-rin’s lips deepened.

“Anyway, I don’t care why you’ve come to Taiyuan. Whether you’re on a martial arts tour or seeking duels. What matters is that you have nothing to lose in this city. I’m about to slaughter a sect.”

“What did you say?”

“My worthless father is about to arrive here soon. To win the succession battle, I need to impress our esteemed father. A sect like the Slaughter Sect that has ties with the Murong family would make an excellent offering. I’d love to cut off my father’s head like he did to my grandfather… but with my current martial arts level, that’s impossible. I’m still far from that.”

A rough madness permeated her muttering voice.

It was a different world. It was said that following the assassination of the leader by the Sword Star, there was said to be a power struggle within the Profound Martial Alliance.

During that time, the story of how the current Profound Martial Alliance Leader, Military King Martial Emperor, broke his own father’s neck was quite famous.

“Whether it’s to improve your martial arts or raise your reputation, the Slaughter Sect should be a worthy opponent. Right now, Shanxi has been swept clean of martial lineages by monsters like Zhuge Clan Leader and Tamed Nezha. Hmm? Come to think of it, Desolate Fortress’s Tamed Nezha was also young like you? Though I haven’t heard rumors about him cultivating mind-controlled sword…”

“I know. But more importantly, isn’t Slaughter Chivalry supposed to be a hero?”

“He’s the only one. The rest are undoubtedly from the evil path. He’s probably struggling to maintain his position as sect leader against the elders? Well, Slaughter Chivalry is quite the character, I’ll give him that.”

“You seem to know a lot.”

“My sect is rather impressive. For some unknown reason, the imperial court has even exempted us from tribute payments. The sect I’m currently leading is just a branch faction. We’ll be committing significant forces to annihilate the Slaughter Sect. They’ve already begun moving.”

The two people, both concealing their identities, continued their conversation.

The customers who had been frightened by the severed arm on the floor had fled the inn, leaving only Goon Yu-rin’s master and subordinate with Jeong Yeon-shin on the second floor.

Dust particles gently reflecting the sunlight remained still.

“If you cooperate, I’ll reward you generously! Gold, silver, treasures, whatever you ask for! I even know someone who uses the blade with extraordinary skill. An absolute beauty beyond imagination… Though I wouldn’t dare to make a move on her… she’s my master.”

“Can you provide elixirs? Highly effective, strange medicinal elixirs.”

“Of course I can prepare them!”

She didn’t say she had them on hand. Perhaps she was cautious about being robbed.

Despite her bizarre way of thinking, she was shrewd. She had the boldness and confidence to discuss intimate plans with a powerful stranger she had just met.

Their temperaments matched quite well. Enough to put Jeong Yeon-shin at ease.

Both her rough conduct and her ability to accurately perceive others’ natures contributed to this.

Goon Yu-rin raised the corner of her mouth.

“You’re badly injured, aren’t you? I smell a different blood scent than our Jeon Baek’s.”

Had she detected the scent of blood from his penetrating wound? The injury Jeong Yeon-shin had sustained to his shoulder still opened up from time to time.

The deltoid muscle that had reacted when he considered deploying his fist technique earlier had reopened the wound. Even with human-like qualities, it was problematic.

Jeong Yeon-shin changed the subject.

“Do you know the way? To the Slaughter Sect.”

The White Swallow in his bosom had guided him with long wing beats, but when he arrived, he couldn’t sense Lazy Flame Dragon’s energy waves.

Similarly, he couldn’t detect the energy waves of Hyeon Won-chang and Shin So-bin.

‘I unnecessarily revealed my condition to them.’

It was because he had written about his injuries without concealment, as he used to do with Cheong Myeong and Baek Mi-ryeo.

The subordinates who should have been concerned about themselves seemed worried about their squad leader’s safety. It was fortunate that at least Lazy Flame Dragon was with them.

However, with the Profound Martial Alliance targeting the Slaughter Sect, he couldn’t be at ease.

“I only know the approximate locations of what I assume are their branch houses. Someone caught in our sect’s web of intelligence spilled the information. As we clear them one by one, we’ll eventually find out everything. We’ll start by completely eliminating the branch factions and then push all the way to the main sect.”

Crimson Phoenix Blade Goon Yu-rin spoke with a fierce smile as she thrust her large blade into her back with a thud.

Jeong Yeon-shin slowly parted his lips. Without even glancing at her subordinate who stood alone in pain.

“I accept your proposal.”

***

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Translated by Nine Heavens!

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***

They had been walking with rustling sounds for two days.

Tap, tap.

On one side of the official road where three people’s footprints remained… A large bonfire that had been built blazed with dancing flames. The occasional sparks that flew up were swallowed by the white snow.

Goon Yu-rin was skilled at hunting. The dried meat strips in her bosom were put to shame by all the beasts she caught. Jeong Yeon-shin only needed to gather firewood.

“That white sword of yours caught my eye from the beginning. Have you only cultivated sword techniques?”

“I use fist techniques too.”

“A supreme master who has entered the realm of mind-controlled sword also uses fist techniques?”

“Just the basics. The forms aren’t complicated.”

“Such dazzling humility. Your character truly doesn’t suit the evil path. You belong with the orthodox sects or somewhere between. You’re walking the right path, aren’t you?”

“Your eye technique is also extremely refined.”

Jeong Yeon-shin responded to Goon Yu-rin’s words while casually leaning against a tree trunk.

They say encounters in the martial world connect like the wind before drifting apart. Although he had tried not to become too close, they had exchanged quite a few stories.

Jeon Baek, who held a fan in his left hand, continued to act like a servant while carefully watching Jeong Yeon-shin’s reactions.

“Hehe, my lord, it seems the firewood is somewhat lacking… Of course, you must have reached the lofty realm of not feeling cold or heat, but isn’t the chill a bit much for your noble skin?”

“Do as you see fit.”

“As you command!”

It was just as the one-armed scholar-like handsome man turned around.

Bang!

His body suddenly bent sideways and was violently thrown back.

In that moment, the energy wave that had strongly struck the transparent air shattered like flower petals. It came with the clear shout of a young boy.

“The spiritual beast of Shaolin is truly the finest in the world! Monk, over here!”

“Amitabha.”

Mount Hua and Mount Song.

Inevitability and coincidence intertwined. The scent of rugged mountains had found them.